Foreign Trade Zone #39 (DFW) and #196 (Alliance), allowing companies to defer customs duties on imported goods until they leave the zone. For manufacturers and distributors, this creates tangible cost advantages.The city’s connectivity includes the DFW metroplex’s explosive growth, with the region adding people daily and surpassing 8.3 million residents. “474 people move to DFW every day according to the North Texas Commission,” Briggs notes, describing the influx as a renewable resource for labor and consumer spending. Economic diversification drives current development strategy. Phelps explains the city had become “overly dependent on manufacturing” and needed to broaden its revenue base. The solution involved attracting retail, restaurants, and mixed-use projects that generate sales tax rather than relying predominantly on property taxes. “We’re really trying to diversify our tax base,” Briggs says. “We want to make sure we have a good mix of retail, commercial, industrial.” This diversification positions Haltom City to compete effectively with neighboring municipalities like North Richland Hills, Watauga, and Richland Hills, all vying for development dollars in the crowded Northeast Tarrant County market. MAJOR PROJECTS RESHAPING HALTOM CITY The H Mart Plaza anchors Haltom City’s development ambitions. This 50-acre mixed-use project at NE Loop 820 and N. Beach St. covers 193,000 square feet and features the seventh Texas location of H Mart, America’s largest Asian-owned grocery chain. The plaza reached 100% leased in December 2025, months ahead of its spring 2026 opening, with over 40 tenants signed including restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and specialty retailers. “H Mart Plaza is a perfect example of the kind of vibrant, communityfocused development we aim to bring to Haltom City,” Phelps says.“With all spaces leased and a great mix of businesses, this development is a significant milestone for the city.” The project’s impact isn’t just retail.The broader 50acre site includes 653,000 square feet of distribution and logistics centers, capitalizing on the city’s 38 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 07, ISSUE 01
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